Hoisting and conveying apparatus.



No. ss|,|ss.` A Patented Aug. 2o, |901.

J. L. PoTTE.

HOISTING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS.

(Application lad Jan. 18, 1900.) (no ugual.) l A l 2 sheen-snaai l.

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No. 68|,|38. YPatented A'ug. 20, IQDI.

J. L. Ponen. HISTING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS.

(Application led Jan. 13, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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` y 1 Us To all whom t may con/cern:

A UNITED f STATES PATENT rricn.

JOSEPH L. POTTER, OFINDIANAPOLIS,INDIANA.

HOISTING ANO CONVEYING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part f Letters `Patent No. 681,138, dated August 20, 1901.

Applioationled January 13, 1900.` Serial No. 1,321. (No model.)

Beit known that I, JOSEPH L. POTTER, a

dianapolis, in the countyof Marion, in the State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hoisting and Conveying Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in that class of hoisting and conveying apparatus employed in sewer-trench excavation, in which the well-known progressive or several feet, and so constructed that it can be operated with equal facility on atrackway lengthwise of the trench, arranged either upon the shore of the trench outside of the sheeting or directly over the trench and be- 1 tween the sheeting of wide trenches, and also adapted to span but one row of said sheeting upon verywide trenches, and yet is adapted to hoist the bucket vertically` upward in any (Of the above situations.

Another object of my invention is to pro-` vide a hoisting and conveyer car'which in addition to its usual function of hoisting and conveying the load is also adapted for excavating. My improvement consists of a hollow longitudinally-open hoisting and conveyor car having a pivoted horizontally-swinging arm from which the bucket is suspended and from which it is manipulated by the operator, the said car being actuated by hoisting and `draft cables Operated from a power-house at a distance and adapted to be operated with equal facility whether the trackway be arranged directly over the trench or upon one y shore of the trench outside of the sheeting or astride of eitherone or both rows of the up wardly-projecting trench-sheeting.

erence characters indicate like parts through- Vout the several views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved apparatus shown on a surface trackway in connection with the power-house and portable tower, with which it is connected by means of the operatingcables, the said cables and trackway being broken away in part. Fig. 2 isan end view of my improved car in operative position on a trackway which requires the car to span one row of the trench-sheeting with the pivoted arm in a position at right angles to the position shown in Fig. 1. Fig.` 3 is a plan View of myimproved car with the pivoted horizontal arm in the position shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective detail of my improved portable tower. Fig. 5 is a detail planof the ratchet mechanism.

A The car 1, of proper dimensions and of suitable material, consists of an upright frame longitudinally open at its lower portion to enable it to span or straddle the upwardly-projecting `trench-sheeting A when in use. The specific form of the frame of the car is immaterial so long as it possesses this str'addling function, but is preferably constructed as follows:

The four upright corner-posts of the car are each formed of the pieces 2 and 3, Fig. 2, in parallel arrangement, rigidly connected in the two rear posts by the intermediate block 4, arranged near the middle of their length. The front and rear posts are rigidly united at their upper end by the crosspiece 5 and at their lower end by theparallel beams 6, arranged between the said pieces 2 and 8, as shown, directly above the supporting-Wheels 7, which are mounted on short axles journaled in the lower end of said uprights 2 and 3. The said rear parts are connected at their upper ends by a cross-piece 8, and the forward posts are rigidly connected by a cross-piece 9, and they are each strengthened by the oblique braces 10. Midway of the said cornerposts and on the said beams 6 are erected the uprights 11, having their upper end rigidly secured to the said pieces 5. Midway of the cross-pieces 8 and?) is arranged a horizontal beam 12, rigidly secured to the supportingpieces f5 equidistant from the beam 12, and uponeach side thereof are rigidly Xed the cross-pieces 13 on the same supports 5. On

IOO

mounted the circular wheel or disk 34, pro-1 these transverse parts 12 and 13 is rigidly fixed a circular trackway 14, Fig. 3, for the pivoted swinging arm 15, hereinafter described. Midway the ends of the pieces 12 and 13 is rigidly fixed a cross-piece 16. This supporting-beam 12 is further strengthened at its center by the short uprights 17, rigidly supported at their lower end by the crosspiece 18,.rigidly secured at each end to the said uprights 1l. At a proper elevation on one of said forward corner-posts and the corresponding upright 1l are rigidly secured the parallel, horizontal pieces 19, separated, 'aS shown, and provided with proper journalboxes 20, in which one end ofthe transverse shaft 21 is rotatably mounted land is provided with a fixed ratchet-wheel 22. This shaft 2l is provided at the middle of its length with a fixed winding-drum 23 and at its opposite end with a large rigid actuating-wheel 24 and has said opposite end rotatably mounted in a proper journal-box 25 on a rigid supporting-piece 26. On the said pieces 19, in coperative relation with said ratchet-wheel 22 and in suitable bearings, are rotatably mounted the shafts 27, one upon leach side of said ratchet-wheel, provided upon each end with an operating-crank 29 and having a fixed pawl 28, adapted to form a holding engagement with said ratchet-wheel to regulate and control the rotation of the said shaft 21. The crankarms 29 are provided with proper operating-levers 30, the outer ends of which are withi-n convenient reach of the operator on the car-platform, about to be described. In a suitable opening through the said beam 12 and piece 1,6 at their junction is rigidly fixed the vertical tube 31, secured in position bya nut 3-2 on the lower end thereof and a nut 33 on l its upper end. On this tube 31 is pivotally vided upon each side with a washer 35, and alsoprovided with a pair of yperipheral grooves 36 and 37 for the purpose hereinafter described. Gn this Wheel 34 is rigidly ixed a swinging arm adapted to carry the operator and the loaded bucket, constructed as follows:

The two parallel and horizontal side pieces/38,

of proper dimensions,` are connected at their ends byjproper cross-pieces 39 and are rigidly y secured to the said wheel 34 in any proper man# ner. At a proper point on the said side pieces 38 and to the bottom lthereof is rigidly fixed a cross-piece 40, provided upon its lower face with a proper number of rollers adapted lto run on the said trackway 14. At or near the extended end of said arm is arranged a fixed transverse shaft 41, carrying at or near the middle of its length a loose pulley 42, from which the hoisting-bucket is suspended by means of the hoisting and draft cable 43. A second tra-nsverse shaft 44 is arranged on said sides 38 at a suitable point and is provided at fthe middle of its length with 'a loose guide-pulley 45 for the said hoisting-cable 43, having one end secured to the bail of the bucket 46, thence passes over the said guide-pulleys 42 and 45 `and down through the said tube 31, and then over a third gudepulley 47 on a short shaft between the said uprights 17, and is then wound upon the said winding-drums 23. Obviously the said pivoted or swinging arm may be made fixed or stationary instead of pivoted, if desired, Without departing from the scope of my invention. It is also obvious that'the platform for the operator neednot necessarily be supported from the extended end of the said arm, but may be supported from the side of the car adjacent to the hoisted bucket, particularly where the said arm is fixed instead ot' pivoted.

The power-house is of 4the usual or any proper Vconstruction with the usual windingdrums 48 and 49, upon which the cables are Wound and from which they are 'actuated in a 'well-understood manner.

My improved portable tower consists of a longitudinally-open frame 50 of any proper construction having the spanning or s'tradi dling constructionof the said car, whereby it is adapted to pass 'over projecting trenchshe'eting or other obstructions as it is moved forward from time to time. It is also provided upon its forward end with a pivoted brace-frame 51, provided with the pivoted braces 52, whose inner ends are adapted to rest against the adjacent posts of the towerframe when in use. Obviously this frame 5l can readily be swung upward when the tower is moved forward, and will thus clear all ordinary obstructions.

My improved portable spanning-tower -is of course operated on the same track as the power-house and is provided with proper wheels for that purpose.

The operation of my improvement thus described is obvious and, briefly stated,` as follows: By operating the winding-drum 48,0n which the draft and stay cable 54 is wound,- the other end being secured to the car at a suitable height to be out of the way of the workmen and sheeting, the car will be drawn forward to any desired position for hoisting a loaded bucket, where it will be stayed by said cable against the strain 4of the hoisting and draft cable 55, having one end secured to the winding-drum 49, it then being passed over a guide-wheel 57 on the power-house, a pair of guide-wheels 58 and 59 on the car, and a guide-wheel 60 on the tower, and then has its other end secured to the perimeter ofthe actuatingwhee1 24. 4When it is desired to hoist the loaded bucket from the trench, the draft-cable 55 is actuated from its enginedrum, 'thereby so rotating the shaft 21 as to wind the bucket-hoisting cable 55 on its drum 49, thereby elevating the bucket, vthe ratchet mechanism having previously been disengaged to permit the rotation of the shaft 21. When the bucket is hoisted, it is then locked in position in any well-known manner. The

shaft 2l is also locked against rotation by its ratchet mechanism, whereby the continued strain on the draft-cable 55 will draw the car rearwardly to the dump. The bucket is then -dumped and the car is returned to the forward end of the trench by the draft and stay cable, as described. The empty bucket is then lowered by gravity when released from y l y its holding engagement. A suit-able platform 6l is properly suspended from the extended `end of the said swinging arm, upon which an operator stands in a position to conveniently manipulate the said locking mechanism by whether it is operated over the trench or at' one side thereof. This swinging arm can have i its short end so extended as to hoist a bucket i i from both ends thereof in the same manner `without departing from the spirit of my in- 1 lvention.

To excavate by means of a plow or scraper by my invention, which is very desirable, particularly in starting a trench, the plow or scraper is secured to the bucket-cable and then operated in the usual manner by said operation cables. The said arm may of course be fixed, if desired, instead of being pivoted, and it may, as before stated, be provided with two extended ends, whereby two buckets can be operated instead of one.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. The combination in a hoisting and conveying apparatus of a longitudinally-open car; a horizontal arm mounted on said car, and provided with a platform adapted to support the bucket and the operator from one of its extended ends; means for operating the bucket; and hoisting and draft cables oper# ated from a power-house at a distance. i

2. The combination of a hollow longitudinally-open hoisting and conveying car g a pivL oted arm mounted thereon having a platform for the operator, and guide-wheels for the bucket-hoisting cables; means for hoisting and lowering the bucket 3 and a pair of operating-cables actuated from a power-house at a distance.

3. Ahoisting and conveying apparatus for sewer-trench construction consisting of a hol# low car provided with a pivoted arm carrying the suspended bucketfand the operator upon one extended end thereof; means for operating said bucket and for securing the same in its suspended position; and a pair of operating-cables actuated from a power-station at a distance. y

Signed by me at Fort Wayne, Allen county, State of Indiana, this 6th day of January, A. D. 1900.

JOSEPH L. POTTER.

Witnesses:

ADELAIDE KEARNs, ALICE KEARNS. 

